“The Colorado River is one of extremes.” These are the opening words to a story I want to tell you about the Lower Colorado River Authority. LCRA enhances the lives of Texans through water stewardship. It focuses on energy and community service.
The Lower Colorado River Authority was created in November 1934 by the Texas Legislature. This nonprofit public utility has a fascinating history. It all started with a problem. Central Texans knew the Colorado River could cause devastating floods. It could also dry to a trickle. They saw the potential in building dams.
Rural Central Texans lacked reliable electric service. Investor-owned utilities served larger cities. In 1931, an Insull utility company began Buchanan Dam. The company went bankrupt in 1932. The dam was half-built. Federal funds were needed to finish it. The state created the Lower Colorado River Authority in 1934.
Governor Miriam A. “Ma” Ferguson signed the bill creating LCRA. In 1937, LCRA broke ground on Mansfield Dam. It is the only flood-control structure in the Highland Lakes.
Lyndon B. Johnson promised to bring electricity to rural Central Texas. He would use power from LCRA dams. Johnson created partnerships between LCRA and electric cooperatives. LCRA launched a campaign in the late 1930s. It served Central and South Texas with lower-cost electricity. This power came from its dams.
In 1938, LCRA finished Buchanan and Inks dams upstream of Mansfield Dam. Heavy flooding tested LCRA that year. Critics claimed LCRA worsened the flood. They said it was due to how Buchanan Dam operated. A Texas Senate investigation exonerated LCRA. It recommended extending Mansfield Dam for increased protection. This would protect Austin and downstream communities.
LCRA manages the Highland Lakes and the lower Colorado River. It is a 600-mile stretch. The river supplies water for over 1 million people. It also serves businesses, industries, the environment, and agriculture. LCRA has rights to over 2.1 million acre-feet of water per year. These rights are based on surface water permits issued by Texas.
LCRA owns more than 40 public parks. These recreation areas and river access sites are along the Highland Lakes and lower Colorado River. LCRA also offers conservation programs for water users. It operates an environmental laboratory and monitors water quality.
LCRA’s community services include the Community Development Partnership Program. It has awarded almost $42 million in matching grants. These grants supported 1,491 community development projects since 1995.
LCRA completed Buchanan Dam and Inks Dam in 1938. These were the first of six dams. These dams form the Highland Lakes reservoirs. LCRA finished the chain of lakes and dams in 1951. LCRA manages this chain. It protects residents from floods. It provides a reliable water supply.
LCRA used hydroelectric power from its dams in 1936. It launched a public power program. This program served communities and electric cooperatives.
For three decades, hydroelectric generation was LCRA’s primary power source. Growing demand led LCRA to build natural gas and coal-fired plants. LCRA added the Sim Gideon Power Plant and the Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant. It also added the Fayette Power Project, the Lost Pines 1 Power Project, and the Winchester Power Project.
In 1995, LCRA was the first electric utility in Texas to provide wind-generated electricity. LCRA continues to evaluate renewable energy options.
LCRA began programs in the 1970s and 1980s to control water pollution. It expanded its parks operations in the 1990s. This increased public access to the Highland Lakes and lower Colorado River. LCRA also worked with communities. It supported projects to boost economic development and improve quality of life. LCRA is a vital part of Texas. It enhances lives through its many services.